Footprints...

So, last week there was a youth retreat in Tepic, hosted by our mother church La Fuente. However, none of our youth were able to go. We decided to take Friday off and cancel youth group, and on Saturday we took them all to the beach! We had 5 leaders, 10 youth, and 4 children. It was a ton of fun! We went to Playa Novillero; it's about 2 hours away, and we got to drive on the new toll road for part of the way! It was very exciting. Some played sports on the beach or dug holes. The kids played in the water and with their sand toys. Sandy, Mili, and I had a good time talking and walking on the beach for the while, and then most of the youth ended up in the water. Since I'm not a big swimming fan, I didn't go in, but it was so much fun to watch them having such fun!

Ruben even found a couple of live crabs in the water and it was cool to see him get them to fight a little bit, despite the pain of having them latch on to his finger! Mirna found a live starfish, and we watched it walk! I've never seen a live one in person. Some of the guys dug a huge whole in the sand, filled it with water, and called it their "jacuzzi"!! It was hillarious to see them just hanging out in their mud whole as though it were a relaxing jacuzzi!!!

And of course there was food and shade! Many of us cooperated and provided different aspects of the eating portion of the day. I was to provide sodas. Pola made cebiche (pronounced "say-bee-chay"), which is this sort of shrimp salad type of thing, and we ate it on tostadas. Of course, the Mexicans like to put lime, salt, and chile on it as well. Regardless, it's VERY tasty!

And of course the camera was present as always, and almost all of the pictures were taken by Sandy. So, enjoy the pics! Yea for fun in the sun!!!

Playa Novillero (Novillero Beach)

Shade, food, and good company--three important ingredients for a great day at the beach!

The lovely Cecilia. She just turned 13 in March.

Miss Mirna, cousin of Mili and Sandy, and part of our youth group as of her 13th birthday in February!

We came upon this boat in our walking, and Sandy wanted to take a pic of it with Mili and I in it. We refused to climb in, but we stood by it anyway. This is Sandy's favorite because of the reflection in the sand.

The cold cocanut guy! There were numerous carts like this.

One of he crabs that Ruben found while swimming.

It's alive! You can see the starfish's feet suctioning to the table!

(L-R) Julio, Riki, and Goyito enjoying their mud jacuzzi. These three are our pastor's three youngest.

Pola and Julizza (on the right) and Isabel and Josue (on the left) enjoying the beach. Pola is Mirna's mom and Julizza her younger sister.